Think ‘Super’ Not ‘Super Sweet Sixteen’ Parties For Kids

Go on, admit it. You’ve been known to watch some horrific reality TV in your time, and MTV’s ‘My Super Sweet Sixteen’ really has got to take the biscuit. These wannabe prince and princesses prance around demanding everything, challenging everyone and basically, they do nothing more than glorified ‘stomp’ around like spoiled brats for the entire episode. Why? Because they the precious darlings are turning sixteen. Imagine their 18^th. Their 21^st. THEIR 30^TH.  Honestly, the thought most likely makes you shudder, because if these are the expectations? Well, we’re all doing it wrong. I suspect though, the majority of us have thankfully got our heads screwed on and while we’re more than happy to plan some treats and surprises for our kids’ birthdays, we’re not going to break our banks!

Whether your child is three or thirteen, or anything in between, the key is to show they’re loved. Yes, it can be satisfying to outdo the other mums on the playground (hey, you can show off without spending millions!), but as long as your child feels you’ve made an effort and you know in your heart of hearts you’ve done all you can, you’re a better mother than most of the parents on that god forsaken show!

So, how to go about it? Well, renting community halls worked for a lot of us, so there’s a start. If your child has a summer birthday and you’ve got a garden, you can even host everyone at home. The trick is to decorate everything perfectly. What’s in right now? Whether it’s a TV Show, movie or just a character, printing some cool pictures and theming the place up a bit won’t hurt. You can order some really cool decorations, party hats and everything else from EBay, and don’t forget balloons! For an extra special touch, you could even try a personalised helium balloon to take pride of place, like this one from Chuckle Monster.

Of course, when it comes to music, it really depends on the age of your kids, and how in touch you are with what’s cool. If they’re older than primary school age, chances are, they have some very strong opinions about this. So, you’ve got two choices. Do your research (the Radio 1 playlist might be a good start, depending on how appropriate the song are…) or get a DJ! That’s your entertainment sorted. If it’s a big birthday (for example, double figures), you could even think about getting something else – perhaps a bouncy castle, or taking a trip somewhere adventurous. But honestly, you don’t need to be too extravagant, but it really is up to you – and your budget.

 Now all that’s left to do is bake some cakes, pick up some snack packs of party food, stuff the party bags and invite everyone. Yeah, you really shouldn’t forget that last one…!

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